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The Frua-Valsecchi collection

Over the past fifty years, Francesca and Massimo Valsecchi have built up a remarkable collection of paintings, furniture, sculpture, glass and ceramics. This includes the renowned nude portrait of Patricia Preece by Stanley Spencer (Gallery 1), William Burges’s painted ‘Flax and Wool’ cabinet (Gallery 2), a Spanish 17th century polychrome wood sculpture of the Christ Child (Gallery 6), Art Nouveau Tiffany glass (Gallery 1), metalwork designed by Christopher Dresser (Gallery 2) and an extremely rare Meissen porcelain vulture (Gallery 27).

These artworks have been generously offered to the Fitzwilliam Museum on long-term loan, with over 130 pieces introduced throughout the galleries. The objects are displayed throughout the Museum to create intriguing and witty juxtapositions and ‘conversations’, just as the works were seen in the Valsecchi’s private home. They can be identified in the galleries by their specially designed labels.